100 Days, 100 Moments
by alwaysandforever74
Summary: 100 moments in the lives of Annie Cresta and Finnick Odair. Random drabbles. Super short one-shots, my first fic!
1. Chapter 1: Drift

**A/N: This is my first fic. No flames, please, but constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. These are just super short one-shots about the lives of Annie Cresta and Finnick Odair. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's all Suzanne Collins' brilliant idea. Except for killing Finnick. I died a little bit with him.**

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><p><strong><em>Drift<em>**

Annie sat on the beach, staring at the seemingly never ending water. It went on forever, just like her mind. After the games, Annie was different. She was trapped in her mind, and sometimes she drifted into the darkness, letting the memories and horrors overtake her. The only thing that pulled her back was Finnick. When Annie found herself drifting away, he always brought her back to reality. She smiled to herself when she heard footsteps behind her. "Hey Ann, where have you been?" he asked dropping onto the sand next to her. He aimlessly picked some sand up and let it slip through his fingers onto her knee, as she sat Indian style. She smiled, brushed the sand off, and scooted closer to him. "Here," she replied with a shrug. She put her head on his shoulder, and she felt his head gently fall into its normal position, onto hers. He wrapped his arm around her, and Annie felt at peace. She closed her eyes and sighed in happiness.

"Finn?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for never letting me drift off too far."


	2. Chapter 2: Flips

**A/N: Here's the second chapter! I'm super bored, so I decided to write another today hahah. Enjoy :)**

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><p><em><strong>Flips<strong>_

Annie and Finnick met when she was only eight, two years his minor. Their fathers worked on a fishing boat together, and two years, three months, and seventeen days after they met, their fathers went off to work one day, but never returned. In between those two years, three months, and seventeen days, Annie and Finnick became friends. She was loud, outgoing, and proud, his polar opposite. Finnick was quiet and shy, and it took weeks for him to open up to Annie. Once he did though, they were inseparable. Everyday after school, they would rush to their favorite dock at the beach and swim until sundown. For hours on end, they would do flips under the water. They would spin and turn under the water, in their own world under the sea. They dreaded when the sun would go down, and their feet would trudge as they slowly walked home. They lived five houses down from each other on the poorer side of town. Annie's mother suffered from depression after having a miscarriage, and neglected the poor girl. Finnick's mother was angry and abusive, and often beat the boy. Besides their fathers, they only had each other. After tragedy, they only had each other. Through all the flips in those two years, Annie and Finnick knew they had something special that was worth holding onto.


	3. Chapter 3: Scanner

**A/N: Reviews? haha so I know if anyone is actually reading ;)**

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><p><em><strong>Scanner<strong>_

Finnick lazily stuck his arm out to get his daily schedule. Why do I bother? This thing is dumb. Why do we have a scanner to tell us what to do, where to go, who to see? Annie wouldn't like this either, she hates being told what to do. Annie. She was all he ever thought about. He was broken without her. After the Quarter Quell, she hadn't been rescued in time. The Capitol had taken her, either to torture her for information she didn't know, or torture Finnick himself. It was probably the latter. And it had worked. The Capitol had broken him. Even after they killed his mother, forced him into prostitution, reaped his Annie into the Games, and killed Mags, they had finally cracked him. He always seemed to hurt Annie, yet she always forgave him. A tear slipped down Finnick's cheek for the thousandth time since he had arrived in 13. He knew two things for sure. One, Annie was much stronger than him. And two, she would hate that stupid scanner.


	4. Chapter 4: Minor

**A/N: This chapter is a lot longer than the previous ones, and I think I did a decent job! The italics are her memory, by the way. Please, please, please review, it helps so much! As for the people that have reviewed, thank youuu! Have a wonderful day my lovelies! ;)**

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><p><em><strong>Minor<strong>_

Annie nervously made her way through the giant crowd, making her way slowly to the front. "Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry." The people she pushed past gave her dirty looks, but Annie was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice. Finnick was coming home. He had won the Hunger Games, against all odds, and he was coming home to her. Annie smiled at the thought of seeing her Finnick again and remembered the promise he had made to her.

"_Annie, please don't cry. Don't cry Annie, this isn't goodbye."_

"_How do you know that for sure?"_

"_Because I'm promising you right now that I will come home to you. No matter what it takes, I promise this isn't goodbye."_

_Annie looked up at him, her face streaked with tears, and saw his own eyes glistening. She held her pinky out to him, and waited for him to return the gesture._

"_Really Annie? Pinky promise?"_

"_Just do it. It'll make me feel better."_

_Finnick sighed overdramatically and grabbed Annie's pinky, making her smile. She hugged him once more, and he pulled away just enough to look in her eyes. Then, his face was slowly inching toward hers, and soon enough, they were sharing their first kiss. It was short, but as they both pulled away, grinning at each other, they knew it was right. "I love you, Finn." "Love you too, my Annie." And with that, the Peacekeepers came to escort Annie out of the room. And Annie knew that Finnick would come home to her._

Annie was brought back to reality by the sound of the crowd pointing and squealing at the incoming train. She patted her skirt down as she reached the front. She wanted to be the first thing he saw when he stepped onto the platform. The train pulled up in, and the doors slid open. Finnick stepped off the train, looking around nervously. Annie ran up to him, and threw her arms around him.

"I missed you so much, Finn."

To Annie's surprise, he didn't return the embrace.

"Finnick?"

No response.

"Finn, what's wrong?"

Again, no response.

Then Annie felt him gently pull her arms off of him, and he walked into the crowd without a word. Annie stood there stunned. What just happened? Did he find someone better when he was in the Capitol? Did he realize he didn't want to be with her? Tears welled in Annie's eyes, and she bit her lip. 'This is pointless,' she thought, 'I was stupid for thinking he would ever want me.' Annie slipped out of the crowd and made her way home. She went to her room and cried silently into her pillow. Hours later, she fell fast asleep, dreaming with a broken heart.

Late in the night, Annie was woken up by a crash. She sat up quickly, and saw her window was broken.

"What the hell?" A rock was sitting on the floor, and Annie picked it up, inspecting it. She tiptoed over to her window and peered out to see who had thrown the rock. She saw a familiar figure swaying back and forth, humming to himself with a stupid grin on his face. Annie opened her window and called down to him.

"Finnick! What are you doing here? It's two in the morning!"

"Annnniiiieeee, I missed you so much."

"Oh my… Crap Finnick, have you been drinking?"

"Maaayyyybeeee Annie, I don't remember!"

"Finnick you're a minor!"

"I'm fifteen today Annieeee!"

"That's still considered a minor, Finn."

"I'm sleepy Anniiieeee."

"Come inside Finn. You're not gonna make it back to the Victor's Village without waking all of District Four."

Finnick clumsily climbed in Annie's first story window, giggling the whole time.

"Shh, Finn, don't wake my mom!"

It took Annie about half an hour to finally calm Finnick down enough so he would whisper. She laid him down in her bed, and lay next to him, her back facing him. Annie heard Finnick's breathing become even and rhythmic, keeping time with the waves outside her house. He had finally fallen asleep. Annie sighed in relief, and closed her eyes to go back to sleep as well.

"Annie?"

"I thought you were finally asleep. What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Annie, we both know what I'm talking about. I was a jerk at the train station. I'm sorry."

A moment of silence passed.

"Why did you do that to me, Finn? Why did you hurt me?"

"You deserve better Annie. I'm a monster. I killed. I singlehandedly killed six people. You deserve someone better than me Ann."

"Finnick, you're not thinking straight. You were drinking."

"No, things are starting to make sense again. I only drank because this victor from twelve said it would take the pain away. But it just gave me a massive headache. I'm sorry Annie. I'm so sorry. I thought I lost you."

Annie turned around to face him. His face was glistening with tears, shining from the moonlight that poured in the window.

"Finnick. There's no way you'll ever lose me. There's no one else I could ever imagine being with. It's my turn to promise, Finn. I'll always be yours."

"Always?"

"Always."

Finnick stuck out his pinky, and Annie laughed. She grabbed his pinky with her own, and Finnick grinned widely.

"Oh, Finnick. One more thing."

"What?"

"Happy birthday. But you're still a minor."


	5. Chapter 5: Supplier

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates! THG Mall Tour was in town (eep!) and I got to see Josh! Best night ever. I was less than a foot from him, ahhh. Anyways, here's my first update for tonight. It's not very good, so sorry about that. But review please, it would make my horrible day awesome! Thanks!**

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><p><em><strong>Supplier<strong>_

Annie walked into her house with Finnick trailing behind her. They were laughing so hard at some joke Finnick had made that they didn't even notice Mrs. Cresta was sitting on the couch, silent, staring at them.

"Finnick, you're so- Mom? Mom, what's the matter?" Annie rushed over to her mother, who had tears streaming down her face. She put an arm around the frail woman, holding her.

"Mama, are you alright?"

"Annie, it's… Finnick you better sit down. This involves you as well." Finnick's face went pale at this, and he nodded silently, sitting on a chair away from the girls.

"Kids, I… I… your… there was an accident. Your fathers… they're not coming home." She broke down in sobs again, and Annie's arms dropped. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Eventually, she managed out, "No. I don't believe you." She ran out of the house, and ran to the beach. When she reached the sand, she fell and let the tears flow. It wasn't until she felt arms around her that she realized Finnick had been following her. He held her, and they cried together for what felt like eternity.

"Annie, you're all I have now. I need you."

"I need you too, Finn."

"We have to be strong, Annie. It's what they would want. We have to be the suppliers for our families now. We have to take care of them. It's our job."

"Finnick, will you take care of me, too? I don't know if I'm strong enough to do this..."

"You're the strongest person I know. But of course I will, it's my job, Annie. Through thick and thin, I'll always take care of you. No matter what."

Neither of them knew how much she would need him in the future. But he always kept his word.


	6. Chapter 6: Positive

**A/N: HEYYY! Second update of the night, woot woot! Short, but sweet I think. Let me know what ya think though! Reviews make me smile! Thanks and enjoy :)**

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><p><em><strong>Positive<strong>_

"I still don't understand."

"Annie, all you do is pee on it."

"But that's so weird."

"Come on, you're killing me. I'm desperate to know. Please Annie?"

"Oh hush, you know I'm just kidding. I'm excited too." Annie put her hand on Finnick's cheek, and he smiled nervously.

"Our lives may change forever. Can you believe this Finnick?" He pulled her into an embrace, and she leaned up to kiss him. He kissed her back, and felt her smile against his mouth, his favorite feeling in the world.

"I can't believe any of this. I can't believe we're in 13. I can't believe you're here, safe. I can't believe we're married. I can't believe we might have a baby. This is all I've ever dreamed of."

"Speaking of a baby, I think it's time. I can't wait any longer to see." Annie squeezed Finnick's hand, and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door gently behind her. Finnick waited and waited for what seemed like forever until Annie finally opened the door, tears already soaking her face. Finnick rushed over to her, concern written all over his face.

"Annie, what's-"

"It's- it's positive."

"Wha- you're sure?"

"Definitely. The plus sign is positive last time I checked."

"Annie, we're gonna be parents. Can you believe it? We're gonna have a baby."

They were both crying now, tears of pure happiness. They had been dreaming of having a baby for years, but Finnick's "job" had made it impossible for it to happen.

"I can't believe this is happening. I never thought I could be this happy Finn."

"I love you so much Annie. And I'm gonna love the little tike so much too."

He put his hand on her stomach, and they smiled at each other, soaking up the pure happiness they only felt when they were together.


	7. Chapter 7: Vomit

**A/N: Last update for the night. This one was sad to write, but I feel like it's not my best work. So reviews giving me advice, tell me what you like or didn't like would be really helpful! Thanks all! Review and goodnight!**

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><p><em><strong>Vomit<strong>_

Annie's head hit the porcelain seat of the toilet. She stared into the toilet, heaving. She hated morning sickness. It was awful.

Annie was miserable. She was always miserable. She was miserable and alone. Finnick was dead. Dead. No longer breathing. No heart beating. Gone. Forever. Annie's breathing quickened, but not from the sickness. She was overwhelmed. It had only been a week since he died, and it had been the slowest week of her life. She only got out of bed to go to the bathroom and vomit. Katniss had broken the news to Annie herself, and she had felt her world end.

_Annie hummed to herself, smiling. Finnick was expected to come home tonight and Annie was in a great mood. She had been the happiest she ever had been since arriving in 13. She was married, starting a family, and completely and hopelessly in love. Annie put her arms around the small but noticeable bump that had developed on her stomach. She felt a small kick inside of her, and laughed._

_She heard a small knock on the door, and rushed over, excited to see her Finnick. She opened the door, but her face fell when she saw it was Katniss. "Hi Katniss. I'm glad to see you're back. Would you happen to know where Finnick is? He should be home by now…" Annie checked her watch, reaffirming the time._

_"Annie, you should sit. We need to talk." Annie was confused now. She had never really talked to Katniss one on one, but Annie led her into the apartment that was designated for her and Finnick._

"_Annie, it's about Finnick… He… um… well, he was so brave Annie. He sacrificed himself. He's dead."_

Annie hit head against the porcelain once more, breaking out of the memory of the worst moment of her life. She had to snap herself back into reality now; she had no hand to grasp hers, no soothing words being whispered into her ear to stop the darkness and memories from overtaking her. She was alone now. Almost as if it could tell what she was thinking, Annie felt a tiny kick in her stomach. She put her hand on her stomach, rubbing the area where she had felt the movement. Annie wasn't alone. Finnick would never leave her completely alone; he cared too much about her. He had left her with a reminder of him. A message to move on with her life, even when she had her moments. He would always be with her though, and Annie knew he would always be a part of her, even though he was gone. Finnick Odair would always live on in Annie Cresta, and she knew in her heart that their son would be proud to have such a courageous and wonderful father. Annie was never alone, because Finnick would always be with her.


	8. Chapter 8: Birthday

**A/N: Not much to say, except sorry I haven't been updating often. I don't get as much time to write as I'd like to. Let me know if it's any good with a review please! The Hunger Games is coming out this week, so excited! Alright, read and review my friends!**

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><p><em><strong>Birthday<strong>_

Annie groaned, rolling over in bed. The phone was ringing, but she was too tired to get up to answer.

"Finn? Can you get the phone?" she grumbled, rolling over to face him. Silence was the only response she got. With her eyes still closed, Annie felt the other side of the bed where Finnick usually laid, but only felt empty space next to her. She slowly opened her eyes, seeing that she was alone. She groaned again, pulling herself out of bed, rushing to the phone.

There were only phones in the houses of the victors, and Annie had moved in with Finnick over a year ago when her mother had killed herself, after struggling with depression for years. Annie figured it was Mags calling. She was the only person who ever really called the house. Besides each other, Annie and Finnick were only close to the frail, old woman, who was a motherly figure to both of them. Annie picked up the phone, and with a groggy voice, answered, "Hello?"

"Annie dear! I've been calling forever! You're finally up, I see?"

"Morning Mags. Yeah, I suppose I slept in a bit." Annie laughed into the phone, smiling at the thought of the old woman calling the house repeatedly.

"Well, it is your birthday. Happy birthday my dear."

Annie had forgotten it was her birthday. She was eighteen. Her last reaping would be in a month. She was almost free. Free from the Hunger Games. The thought thrilled her; she had been looking forward to her last reaping since she was twelve, at her first reaping, when Finnick's name was pulled.

"Thank you Mags! Almost there." Annie knew she had to be vague; the Capitol was always listening.

"Of course dear. You and Finnick can come for dinner around six-thirty."

"Okay Mags, we'll be there."

Annie hung up the phone, and went back upstairs. She reentered her bedroom and wondered, _where is Finnick?_

He had been telling Annie to be prepared for her upcoming birthday for weeks. He told her he had a full day planned for her, with many surprises, or so he said. Annie smiled at how Finnick had seemed more excited than Annie herself. That was just Finnick, though.

Annie grabbed some clothes for the day, and walked into the bathroom to get ready. She started to brush her teeth when she noticed a note pasted on the mirror.

_Ann- Good morning. Come to our dock at eleven. Oh, and happy birthday too. –F_

Annie chuckled to herself, and finished getting ready. Soon enough, it was time to meet Finnick. She walked down the path from Victor's Village to the beach, and eventually the dock that contained a majority of the memories the couple had made. Finnick wasn't there yet, so Annie sat down on the edge of the dock, legs hanging above the water.

Minutes passed.

Then an hour.

Then two.

And three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Annie couldn't believe it. The most important birthday of her life, and Finnick just blew her off.

She wasn't angry. Just hurt. Disappointed. Heartbroken.

The sun went down, and Annie hadn't moved an inch since she had arrived. She eventually got up, only to see Mags, who she loved dearly. When Mags opened her front door, Annie broke down. Mags uttered the seven words that cut straight to Annie's heart every time she heard them: "He had to go to the Capitol."

Annie understood. It wasn't his fault. He only did it to keep her safe, to keep Mags safe. But the thought of Finnick with other women on her birthday was too much. Annie couldn't bear it. "I'm sorry," she choked out to Mags, who embraced her, and sent her home.

Annie fell asleep crying on her eighteenth birthday. The worst part was that she was all alone.

The next morning when she woke up, she found his eyes staring at her own. The memories from the previous day flooded into her mind, and her lip trembled. His eyes were concerned, and he could see she was hurt.

"Annie, I'm so-"

"Home early?"

"I know you're upset..."

"You're so observant."

"I couldn't-"

"Just stop."

Finnick was crying now, from shame, from guilt, from the fact he couldn't save Annie without hurting her. Her face softened, and she snuggled into him, knowing it was one of the only things that ever calmed him down. His breathing was quick, as it always was when Annie was close to him. Annie smirked. Finnick made all women over Panem weak in the knees, but she was the only one who ever had the same effect on him.

"I'm sorry my Annie. I'm sorry I can't always be there for you. I wish I could more than anything though. One day, we'll have the life we've always dreamed of. I'll do whatever it takes, I promise."

She looked up at him and nodded, wiping away the tears shed for the life he so desperately wanted with the only person in the world he loved. He held out his pinky, a ritual that had practiced since they were kids, and Annie knew that one day things would be different. Finnick never broke his promises.


	9. Chapter 9: Alteration

**A/N: Not much to say except enjoy! Read and Review, and thanks to all who have been enjoying it! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Alteration<strong>_

"Finnick…" the odd woman whispered into his ear, and Finnick squeezed his eyes shut, hoping he could block the whole experience out, knowing he would ultimately fail.

Finnick had gotten too good at his "job". Ever since Finnick had turned sixteen, he had been forced to work for the Capitol as a prostitute. When he had at first refused, he thought they might leave him alone. Then, his mother was shot by a Peacekeeper in front of him, and Finnick knew things would only get worse unless he played along. So for six years, Finnick had played the Capitol's games, even though he thought he had won those six years ago. But Finnick didn't win. The ones that died lucked out. He lived with a burden, guilt for killing all the other tributes, guilt for hurting Annie.

Annie.

He couldn't think about her when he was working. It only hurt him. His eyes filled with tears, and the woman pressed against him looked up with an inquisitive face.

"What's the matter?" She pouted, as if she wasn't getting enough for her money.

He just pulled her into a kiss, and she smiled against his lips. It felt wrong. That only felt right when Annie did it. When Annie smiled against him, it wasn't only right, it was perfect. Everything she did was perfect. Although she had been deemed mad after her Hunger Games, she would always be absolute perfection to Finnick.

The woman on him, however, was altered beyond repair. She was a lilac color, and not only looked the part, but smelled of it too. She had multicolored swirls tattooed all over her body, and her eyes were an unnatural bright pink. The overall look, although stylish in the Capitol, was horrendous. Finnick tried to look past that, and see her without all the alterations. All humans were born the same, natural, no changes. And Finnick detested the way this woman had changed herself. She would probably be beautiful without the purple skin or pink eyes. But not as beautiful as Annie.

Annie was beautiful, no changes to herself whatsoever. She had perfectly tan skin, dark hair that fell in waves and sea green eyes that twinkled. She was the most gorgeous sight Finnick had ever seen, and somehow he had hooked her, and she was his.

He wished he didn't have to hurt her. Although Annie understood the circumstances, he could always see the pain in her eyes whenever he was called to the Capitol. It hurt him too, but it was only to keep her safe. He had to remind himself of this all the time.

It's only to protect her.

One day, everything will change.

One day, things will be perfect.

Just like Annie.


	10. Chapter 10: Down

**A/N: Hey guys! I won't be able to update for about a week cuz I'm going on vacation, so here's another chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and everything, it means the world, so please keep it up! Oh, and I'm seeing the midnight premiere, so HAPPY HUNGER GAMES! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Down<strong>_

Annie Cresta was not happy.

Her Finnick, who had just come back to her after he had won the Hunger Games, was gone again. Of course, all victors go on a Victory Tour, but Finnick's seemed to be much longer than Annie had remembered previous years.

Of course, she hadn't really cared about the victors then. This was different.

In actuality, Finnick's tour was longer than normal. The Capitol had requested he stay longer, to become acquainted with the fine people and culture of the Capitol. At least that's what he wrote in a letter to Annie. Annie held the letter in her hand tightly, afraid the wind might confiscate it from her.

_Annie,_

_Being a victor isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've been to all twelve districts, and now I'm in the Capitol. I'll admit it's kinda cool seeing what it's like in the other districts. I'll tell you about it when I get home though. I want to come home so badly, Ann. The Capitol just seems so far away. From the beach, the ocean, but most importantly, from you. I wish you were with me. We could make jokes about the ridiculous Capitol people and their different colored skin, haha. It's so different from Four here. It's too… bright. You can't see the stars anywhere in the sky. I miss lying on the beach with you, and you naming all the constellations. I want to come home soon. I don't know when I'll be back. They asked me to stay a while longer, to acquaint myself with the Capitol people, the Capitol culture, blah blah blah. I don't want to stay here though. I want to go home. I want a hug from you, to hear your laugh, to see your face. It's been far too long, and I need my Annie. After the Capitol, I'll be coming home as fast as possible. I'll be home by the end of the month, at the latest. I look forward to it, more than I can tell you. I miss you Annie Cresta, I'll see you soon._

_Love, Finn_

Annie squeezed her eyes shut. It had been more than a month since Finnick had written this letter. She felt childish, but she had a fearful feeling in the pit of her stomach, scared he may never come home. She felt her eyes sting with oncoming tears, and she closed her eyes, a tear escaping.

"Why so down Annie?"

Annie turned around to find the only person who could possibly cheer her up. She screamed, and jumped up, tackling Finnick, both of them falling on the sand. Finnick laughed, and pulled Annie closer to him. He wiped away the wetness remaining on her face, and smiled at her. She grinned back, and he buried his face in her long hair, breathing in the smell of sea salt he had missed.

"I'm home Annie."


	11. Chapter 11: Tea

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for late update, I was on vacation. I'll be posting another one tomorrow definitley, so be ready for that friends! This one isn't very good, so sorry. Drop a review for me to tell me how to impove, it would help me a lot with my other story I'm starting. Thanks to all who favorited/alerted/reviewed already, it means sooooo much! Anyways, keep that up, it helps. Okay, terrible update, I'm sorry, it'll be better tomorrow. Oh, the movie! Yay or nay? I loved it, even though there were a few things that bothered me, but overall, it was great! Okay, I'll end my rant... NOW.**

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><p><em><strong>Tea<strong>_

"Annie, don't be so nervous, really." Finnick said, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Well, what if she doesn't like me? She's so important to you, Finn. I don't want to mess this up!" Annie exclaimed, fixing the skirt of her dress nervously. She grabbed a lock of her hair and began to twirl it, as she always does when she gets nervous.

Finnick sighed, and stopped walking. He took her hand that had been twirling her hair in his own. Annie stopped walking as well, and looked at her worn sandals, avoiding Finnick's gaze.

"Ann?" He said, attempting to make her look him in the eye. She fidgeted, and did not meet his gaze.

"Annie?" She still stared at her tan feet, as if they were the most interesting thing she had ever laid eyes on.

"Annie, look at me, please." He said his voice soft. She slowly raised her eyes to his own, to find a gentle smile on his face.

"Annie, this woman put up with my cocky, arrogant teenage self. Compared to that, she'll love you. Don't worry Ann; I've never met a person that hasn't absolutely adored you. Myself included, of course." He said, with a wink. A blush crept up her face, and she failed to suppress the embarrassment. Finnick chuckled, and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.

Annie looked up at him and smiled, feeling reassured. "Are you ready?" Finnick said, not releasing the hold he had on her. She nodded, and he held her hand as they made the short walk to a large house located only a few yards from Finnick's own home in the Victor's Village.

They walked up the front porch, and Finnick knocked a few times. A few seconds later, a frail looking woman opened the door, grinning.

"Finnick! You need a haircut, don't you? Oh, Annie! It's so nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you, sweetie! Come in you two!" The woman exclaimed, all in one breath.

"Thanks Mags. And yeah, guess I could use a haircut." Finnick muttered, entering the house with Annie trailing behind. Annie looked around at the large house, identical in structure to Finnick's. There were pictures covering the walls, and flowers on every table.

"You have a lovely house." Annie said, giving the woman a small smile.

"Thank you dear," she said, returning the smile, "Would you like you help me make tea in the kitchen?"

Annie nodded, following Mags to the kitchen. The kitchen, unlike Finnick's was incredibly clean.

"He talks about you all the time. Did you know that?" The old woman said, grinning. There was amusement in her eyes, and Annie couldn't help but laugh.

"Does he now? What does he say?" Annie couldn't help herself. She wanted to know.

"Ever since before he went into the Games. He would talk about Annie, his best friend. The girl he liked even loved. He's crazy about you girl."

"Well, I'm pretty crazy about him myself." Annie said, blushing.

Annie liked Mags already. She was kind, easy to talk to, and made Annie feel at home. They finished making the tea, and brought it back to Finnick, who was lounging on the couch.

"What took so long you two? Gossiping about me?" He said jokingly. At this, the two women began laughing loudly. They had bonded quickly, and Mags was a remarkable woman Annie could look up to.

Too soon, it was time for Annie and Finnick to go. They helped the elderly woman clean up, and both gave her a hug before heading back home.

"Come back next Sunday for tea you two!" She shouted from her doorway.

Sunday tea with Mags eventually became a tradition.


	12. Chapter 12: Thumb

**A/N: Sorry, this is late, I know. And it's short. But I think it's better than last chapter. I had a few favorites and alerts last update, but no reviews, so please do that, because I have no idea if I'm doing well or not! haha thanks and enjoy :)**

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><p><em><strong>Thumb<strong>_

"Ouch, ow that hurts. Dammit. Annie, no it hurts."

"Just let me see it, Finn. Stop, give me your hand."

Finnick struggled to keep his hand out of her grasp, but Annie was too quick for him. She grabbed his hand, and pulled it close to her face, inspecting the injured appendage. Finnick squirmed, trying to get his hand back, but Annie's hold was firm.

"Stop moving, you're acting like a child. Come on, be a man Odair." She said jokingly, although this shut Finnick up, and he stopped struggling.

"Wow, this is gross." Annie commented, staring at Finnick's thumb, which was bent in an unnatural fashion.

They had been running around on the dock when Finnick had slipped on the wet, slippery surface. He used his hand to break his fall, and his thumb had cracked loudly.

Annie studied it, and gently started to move it. "Does it hurt if I do this?"

He winced, trying not to show any weakness in front of Annie. "Um, yeah. It hurts a lot."

Annie immediately stopped, and gently whispered an apology. She gingerly brought the thumb to her lips, and lightly kissed it.

"All better!" He said, happily, and Annie laughed.

"Okay, maybe a doctor would be a smart idea?" Annie suggested sarcastically.

In too much discomfort to disagree, Finnick nodded. They stood up, and Finnick grabbed Annie's hand with his good one.

"Poor baby." Annie said, looking at him with sympathy, but eyes filled with amusement.

"A kiss to make it better?" Finnick said, eyes also filled with much amusement.

"I already did!" She protested, playfully punching his shoulder.

He jokingly pouted, "Not a real kiss…"

Annie rolled her eyes, and threw her arms around his neck giving him the most passionate kiss she had ever given. He returned the embrace, and when she came up for air, found him grinning, out of breath.

"All better."


	13. Chapter 13: Worker

**A/N: Second update of the day! I think this one is pretty good, so enjoy! Oh, I've decided strating last chapter, I'll thank my reviewers individually, because it means the world! Thank you soooo much, it helps to know what/what not to do, so please keep it up! Love you guys! :)**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Ohmyjoshhutcherson happy birthday! I hope this update is a good present for you :) Have an awesome birthday dearest(; oh, and I totally agree with you about the name of the last chapter, but my friend gave me 100 prompts, so those are the names of the chapters hahaha, but I agree :)**

**Ms. Fantastic: Thank you! So. Are. You. :)**

**demigodgirl1000: I KNOW RIGHT. I CRIED SO HARD WHEN FINNICK DIED, AND WENT INTO LIKE A FUNK. POOR FINNICK AND ANNIE. SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS LOCK, I JUST GET VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS HAHAHAH. OH SUZANNE COLLINS, WHY DO YOU HATE ME?**

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><p><em><strong>Worker<strong>_

Annie sat on the dock, looking through a magazine she had just purchased in town. It was a Capitol tabloid magazine, and she furiously flipped through the pages, close to ripping them with the forcefulness she used whilst searching the catalog.

"Hey Ann!" Finnick said cheerfully, dropping down to sit next to her on the dock, a spot only reserved for him. He leaned in to kiss her, but she moved away, not looking at him. Hurt, he pulled away.

"Annie? What's the matter?" He asked, panic rising in his voice. Annie was not one to lose her cool, so when she was mad; it was for a good reason.

"This. This is the matter Finnick." She said sharply, still not looking at him. She threw the magazine at him, and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Wait, what is this?" He flipped through the pages, quickly, frowning. "Annie, why are you wasting your money on this crap?"

"Why are there pictures of you making out with other women in this crap?" She snapped angrily, "Why are you doing this to me Finnick? Am I not good enough for you or what?" Her voice was softer now, and her eyes were welled with tears.

"Annie, it's not what you think! Please, listen to me!" Finnick said, grabbing her hands in an attempt to make her look him in the eyes. She stared out at the ocean, face streaming with hot tears. He gently turned her head to face him and in a hurried whisper said, "Annie, I need you to trust me. I can only say this once, so please listen to me. It's important." His face was completely serious so Annie nodded silently, staring at her hands.

"Annie, I don't love those women. I don't like them. To be honest, they're disgusting. But this," he said, pointing to one of the pictures, "is not real. These women pay to have me. I'm sold to them every time I go to the Capitol. I can't say no, because Snow will kill you and Mags if I do. I only do it to protect you Annie. I hate every second of it. You're the only girl I love, the only one I'll ever want. I promise Annie. I'm just a worker in the Capitol. I hate it with all of my being, but it's a job. I don't enjoy it at all. I only want you Annie."

By now, Annie was sobbing, ashamed of her accusations toward Finnick. She put her head in her hands and wept, letting Finnick wrap his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. I had no idea." She got out through sobs. He tightened his grip on her, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I know, I know. Don't be sorry Ann; it's all going to be okay." By this time, he was crying too, but silently, in hopes Annie would not notice.

She looked up at him, and wiped his tears away. He did the same action, giving her a sad smile.

"I love you, you know that right?" He said, looking down at her with a look he only gave her, an emotion no other woman could ever make him feel. She nodded, burying her face in his chest, and murmuring against his shirt, "I love you so much."

"I'll always be yours Annie. Remember that." He said, holding her as tightly as possible. He knew his trips to the Capitol would hurt her even more now, knowing exactly what he would be doing while she waited for him, alone.

He knew being with him would be hard on her. He would cheat on her, even if he had no choice. He knew it was for her safety. He knew she understood. He still hated himself for it, though.

"Finnick?" Annie said, looking up at him with a concerned look on his face. She had been saying something, but he was too caught up in his mind to hear what she had said.

"What?" he said confused.

"I said, thank you for saving me. For doing this for me. No one else would ever do that for me." She was thanking him for hurting her. That was Annie, though. Always finding the good in the worst situations. Finnick wanted to laugh at the cruel irony that she was thanking him for ruining her life.

"Don't thank me for this. I'm sorry it has to be this way." He said his face serious.

"It's not your fault. Will you pinky promise you won't hate yourself for this? Please? For me?" She said, extending her pinky.

"I don't know if I can promise that-" he started, but Annie cut him off.

"Promise you'll try then, Finnick." She said, her voice strong, even through she had just finished crying. He took her pinky in his own, and held it there, staring at the newfound covenant they had made.

He had to do his best not to hate himself. For Annie. If it were anyone else, he'd say screw it and forget the whole promise entirely. But this was Annie, so of course he would do his best. He looked down at her to see her giving him a small smile, and leaned down to kiss her. His lips found hers, and they crashed into each other, never wanting to let go.

After she pulled back, Annie situated her head in the crook of Finnick's neck, where they fit together like puzzle pieces. Still holding the magazine, he dropped it into the water below them. It floated and was carried away by the waves, taking with it the secrets Finnick had been keeping from Annie, and his feelings of self-loathing. As that magazine drifted off into the vast, unending sea, a burden was lifted from Finnick. He was free from the lies and secrets he struggled to keep from Annie Cresta. As much as he hated the truth, he was glad she knew, and he was glad she still loved him anyways, despite it all.


	14. Chapter 14: Violin

**A/N: Eh, kinda crappy. R&R please.**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: You're very welcome! Thank you for your reviews, they're so helpful!**

**Cherrybomb337: I completely agree, I think Annie would be strong and brave versus weak and pathetic. She just went through a lot, but I think her mental breakdown made her stronger. Thanks for your reviews!**

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><p><em><strong>Violin<strong>_

Annie stood, completely petrified and surrounded by strange faces in an unknown place.

_Breathe_, Annie thought, _Deep breaths, like Finnick said. Sort your thoughts out calmly and coolly._

_I am Annie Cresta. I am from District Four. I won the Hunger Games. I am on my Victory Tour. I am in the Capitol._

Annie takes a deep breath to calm herself down before feeling relaxed. She wished Finnick was with her, but she knew he couldn't be. He was busy with his "job". Entertaining the people of the Capitol. Annie shuddered, pushing the thought out of her mind.

She looked down at her blue floor length down, unsure of where else to look. She didn't want to be caught staring at the strange people of the Capitol and their odd appearances. She could see President Snow staring at her from across the room, and she felt uncomfortable under his gaze. His snakelike eyes pierced her, and she prayed for someone to come help her.

"Miss Cresta would you like to dance?" a man's voice said, as the violins struck up a new song.

She looked up to see Caesar Flickerman, to her relief. She nodded her head and he led her to the dance floor. Annie said nothing, but looked up to see if Snow was still staring. Thankfully, he wasn't.

They danced in silence for a bit, excluding the times Caesar would ask Annie how her tour had been. She would give polite one word answers before slipping back into her mind.

"May I cut in?" a familiar voice said, and soon familiar hands were holding Annie's own, instead of Caesar's.

Annie looked up at Finnick, confused. "Shouldn't you be…?" she started, but he shushed her.

"I needed at least one dance with you." He said, smiling. Annie smiled in return, resisting the urge to put her head on his shoulder. She hated the secrecy of their relationship, even if she did understand that it was essential.

Finnick's hand tensed on her back, startling Annie. "What?" she whispered, "What's wrong?"

"He's staring at us." He said in a voice quieter than a whisper. The song ended, and Finnick immediately took off into the crowd, leaving Annie alone.

Annie sighed. This was going to be a long night.


	15. Chapter 15: Purity

A/N: Eh, not my best haha. Read and review, your reviews honestly help me so much, I love you guys! :) Enjoy!

Ms. Fantastic: Thank you! And I know! Catching Fire is sooo far away, guess I'll have to keep rereading the books and watching Josh in the first movie in the meantime ;) I've got a few ideas for Finn, like Alex Pettyfer or James Gaisford. I have no clue for Annie, though haha. They did an amazing job casting for the first movie, so I'm sure it'll be perfect! Thanks again(:

CrashAgainstMySkin: Really? I'm glad you liked it, I didn't think that one was very good, but thanks haha :) I wish Suzanne Collins would write a book just about these two... *sigh* a girl can dream.

Cherrybomb337: Snow is such a creep haha, I always imagined him weird like that. Do the creep, ahh. Haha sorry for The Lonely Island moment there, love those guys(; Thanks for the review!

Magsforever: Thank you so much! I'm trying my best to do justice to these two, I adore them! :)

demigodgirl1000: Haha, I do my best to update quickly ;) I don't think I'll be able to watch Finnick's fate when Mockingjay comes out... I just... ugh. Thank you for the review, it's good to know my story is having an effect on people!

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><p><em><strong>Purity<strong>_

Finnick sat on the beach in a daze. _Did that just happen?_ He thought, recalling the incident that had just occurred in his own home.

_There was a knock on the door of Finnick's house in the Victor's Village. Knowing his mother was passed out drunk, he made his way to the door to answer. Finnick looked out the peephole to see who this visitor was, knowing it couldn't be Annie, who was in school, or Mags, who was in town at the market. Finnick gasped, and pulled away from the peephole. Of all people, he was shocked at the identity of this visitor. He quickly opened the door, still a bit overcome by the surprise._

"_President Snow? I didn't know you were coming to visit District Four."_

"_I decided to drop in to see you Mr. Odair." He said, his snakelike eyes fixed on Finnick._

_Although Finnick hated the man with everything he had, he knew the courteous thing to do would be to invite the President into his home. "Come on in." Finnick said, trying to hide the disgust in his voice._

"_Thank you." He replied, not hesitating to sit down at the nearest seat. Finnick took a seat facing him, and waited for the President to get down to whatever business he was there for._

"_Well Mr. Odair, I'm sure you noticed during your Victory Tour that the people of the Capitol have become… quite infatuated with you." He said, smirking._

"_Yeah, I could feel the love." Finnick said, trying not to roll his eyes._

"_Well Mr. Odair, don't you think it's time to give back to them? After all the hospitality they've shown you? Let's not forget all the sponsors that very well may have been the reason you won your Hunger Games."_

_Finnick swallowed, not quite understanding what the President meant. "What are you getting at? I thought that I was done with the Hunger Games when my Victory Tour ended."_

_The President smiled, and Finnick couldn't help but shudder at the next words Snow said, "Oh, you're very mistaken. This is only the beginning."_

"_What more do I need to do?" Finnick said, starting to worry about his future._

"_There's a demand for you in the Capitol. As I said, the people are infatuated with you. They'd like to have you on a more… personal level. All you have to do is simply spend a night or so with them. Just keep them happy. As long as they're happy, everyone is happy." He said, as casually as if they were talking about the weather._

_Finnick felt his mouth go dry. His ears had a faint ringing noise, and his temper flared. He knew he had to keep calm._

"_You want to… use me as a…" he struggled to get the next word out; he couldn't even fathom what was happening, "Prostitute?"_

"_Essentially, yes, I suppose. Don't you think escort sounds better, though?" He said, snickering._

_Finnick saw his vision turn red, and struggled to maintain his composure._

"_Absolutely not." Finnick said, sternly and seriously._

_Snow stopped snickering, and became serious as well._

"_You don't really have a choice in the matter, Mr. Odair. We wouldn't want to see anything happen to mother dearest, would we?"_

_Finnick felt his face fall, and Snow smirked. "That's what I though Odair. I'll see you the next time you're in the Capitol to check in on how you're doing. Stay in line, and we won't have any problems. Goodbye." He said, leaving, just as quickly as he had arrived._

_Stunned, Finnick sat there. Then, not knowing where else to go, he ran to the beach. The only place he could ever calm down when he was upset._

Finnick wasn't sure how long he had been there, but after what seemed like a few hours, he saw a familiar figure walking along the beach, feet in the water. Wearing a white sundress and her long hair blowing around her wildly, Annie made her way to where Finnick was sitting.

"Figured you'd be here." She said, sitting down next to him. He shrugged in reply.

"What's going on, Finnick? Are you alright?" She said, pushing her hair away from her face to get a better look at him.

He couldn't tell her about this. Maybe one day, but not now. It was embarrassing, humiliating, and gross. If she knew, maybe she wouldn't want to be with him. Finnick pushed the thought out of his mind, knowing he was only stressing himself out more.

He shook his head, and gave Annie the best smile he could muster up.

"Come here." He said, pulling her onto his lap. They stared at the waves for a while, wordlessly.

Finnick looked at Annie, at her innocence. She wore a purity ring her father had given to her when she was young, and her white dress and innocence just spelled out purity. Overcome with the fear of his tainted future, unclean with his loss of innocence and affairs, he whispered to her, " I love you, Ann."

She turned around to look at him, and with the hand bearing her purity ring, took his hand in hers. "Love you too, Finn."

Staring at the ring on her finger, he silently grieved for the loss of his purity and innocence, and vowed to maintain hers for as long as possible.


	16. Chapter 16: Side

**A/N: Oh Lord, haven't uploaded in forever, and this chapter is awful. I'm sorry dear readers. I love you all, though. Thank you to the reviews, they mean so much, so do favorites and alerts! Keep it up guys! Also, if you guys wanna check out my one-shot I wrote about Annie called 23, it would be appreciated!**

**Ms. Fantastic: Ahh, can't wait! Although it's a very different series, Harry Potter has gotten me through many times in my life, so rereading that will make time go by much faster for me. I just love magic. Thank you for the review!**

**Emy: Why thank you so much! :)**

**Cherrybomb337: Thank you for the lovely review! I agree, Finnick has no idea what oncoming years have in store for him. *SPOILER* I find his death the most tragic in Mockingjay, because he just gained the happiness he could never had, and it was ripped away from him so quickly! So sad /3**

**demigodgirl1000: I'll close my eyes during the mdnight premiere. There's no doubt in my mind. Thank you for the review!**

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><p><em><strong>Side<strong>_

Ever since becoming a victor, life had been unbearably boring for Finnick. He no longer attended school, and spent the long days with Mags. He loved Mags, but he wished that Annie could be there too sometimes, just because whenever she wasn't with him, she was constantly in the back of his mind.

When the clock was at about a quarter to three everyday, Finnick would walk out from his house in the Victor's Village, down the beach, and to the high school Annie attended. He would wait outside for her patiently, always arriving approximately five minutes before the bell rang. He knew he could easily adjust his timing when leaving so he didn't arrive early, but he didn't want to chance it. He wanted to be the first thing Annie saw when exiting the school.

On a particularly rainy day, Finnick arrived early, and leaned on a tree in front of the building, waiting for the final bell of the day to ring. He could hear the faint sound of the bell within the school, and students filed out of the building. Girls circled around him, as they always did, ogling, but Finnick could not see them. He only had eyes for Annie, who he was scanning the crowd of teenagers for.

He soon spotted her with a group of her good friends that he had met, and made his way over to her. He approached her from behind, and wrapped his arms around her waist. The girls were all silent, and Annie stood there rigidly, obviously upset. He had clearly missed something.

"Um, do you want to go home Ann?" he said quietly under his breath, so only she could hear. She nodded, muttered a goodbye to her friends who looked at her sympathetically, and took Finnick's hand as she usually did.

They walked silently, and Finnick saw that Annie's jaw was tight.

"Annie? Are you alright?" he said, unsure of what was bothering her. He had let go of her hand now, to hold his jacket over her in an attempt to keep her dry, which did not seem to be working.

She shook her head, mumbling. Finnick struggled to hear her silent words, straining his ears to catch them.

"Annie? What? I can't hear a thing you're saying." He said, trying to keep his voice gentle, as if she would crack any moment now.

"I'm angry." She said, her teeth clenched.

"Anyone could see that Annie…" he said with a lighthearted smile, trying to make a small joke. She did not like this.

"Well, sorry I'm not in a fantastic mood like you." She said, voice sounding different than her usually melodious tone.

"Annie, don't be cross. Just tell me what happened." He said, trying to keep his voice steady, although he was quite irritated she was angry at him for attempting to cheer her up.

"David Lancely called me a dork." She said, gravely.

Finnick had to control himself so he wouldn't burst out laughing. That's what this was about? Someone saying she was dorky? Only Annie would get mad about this.

"Annie, you can't be serious. What's the big deal?"

She crossed her arms across her chest and sighed as if speaking to a three year old. "The big deal is, by the end of the day, everyone was making comments on how dorky I am. I don't give a damn about what people think, but they annoy the hell out of me when they come up to me every five seconds to tell me I'm a dork!"

"But you are a dork…"

"Finnick!" Annie screamed, not in the mood to joke around.

Finnick held his hands up in surrender, smiling. "You're my dork, Annie Cresta."

Annie lightly elbowed him in gut, and smiled for the first time that day.

"So what did you do to make him call you a dork?" Finnick asked, genuinely interested.

Annie huffed, "I was reading."

"Reading? Aren't you supposed to read in school?"

"Well, during lunch. By myself."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You really are a dork."

"FINNICK! Whose side are you on?"

"Kidding Annie Bananie! I'm on your side. I'll always be on your side." He said, with a wink.


	17. Chapter 17: Corruption

**A/N: Back story behind last chapter: when I was in fourth grade, I remember reading Harry Potter on the blacktop at recess while everyone was playing basketball or wall ball, and a boy in my class came up to me and called me a dork for reading. My nine year old self was insulted, and when I told my older sister when I got home, she said, "Dorks are cooler, trust me." Being my older sister, I trusted her, and I still believe that statement to this day. Dorks are way cooler. Later that year in fourth grade, we did projects on a person we admire, and I did J.K. Rowling. I went up to the boy and told him that dorks are cooler, and J.K. Rowling is cooler than he'll ever be. Years later, this boy and I go to high school together, and we're good friends now. He probably still thinks I'm a dork, but I loooooovvveeee being a Potterhead and Peeta Pal and all that goos stuff. Man, he's missing out. Okay, done with personal story. Thanks for reading, keep up the reviews my fellow dorks! Love you guys :)**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Thank you, glad to know you love being a dork too! And hahaha, my best friend is named Annie, but she hates that nickname... so I call her turdbomber. Hahahah, before I got her into THG, I called her Annie Cresta ;) She's a dork like us 3**

**anon (idk if you're all the same anon or three people, so I'll answer individually): hahah Omgale! I've actually never heard that, I usually say Oh my Jawsh (like Josh Hutcherson... he jawline is like a Greek God... hahah). I'm so happy I portayed Finnick well for you, thanks so much!**

**anon: Thanks so much! I hope I capture these two well and give them justice, they need their own story!**

**anon: The fact you said I'm your favorite author besides the wonderful Ms. Collins had me grinning at my computer like an idiot. That's the best review I've ever had, thankyouthankyouthankyou 3**

**demigodgirl1000: Being a dork honestly is the best. Because half the time, I'm not living in reality. I'm just waiting for my Hogwarts letter, and for my Finnick to come offer me a suger cube. Thanks for the review deary! :)**

**P.S. Would you mind checking out my friend's story? It's Annie and Finnick and she's just getting started. It is called Lighthouse by make-each-day-count. Thank you! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Corruption<strong>_

Annie was tired. Her eyes felt heavy, and her body felt like it was full of sand; she couldn't move. Warily, she squinted, attempting to look at her surroundings. Where was she? What time was it? Where was Finnick?

She managed to get her eyes open wider, but immediately shut them again. The room she was in was blindingly white, and harsh on Annie's tough eyes. She squinted, and soon her eyes adjusted to the room. She was in a… hospital room? Why was she in a hospital room? Wait, District Four wouldn't have such a fancy room for a hospital… this wasn't District Four, was it?

As Annie's clouded thoughts suddenly became clear, everything flooded into her mind, just like the water when the dam broke in the arena. Soon enough, she could see her district partner's head at her feet, his blood all over her; she saw the girl she stabbed from District One; she saw dead bodies floating past her in the water; she saw all of her Hunger Games flash before her eyes in a second.

She started screaming and thrashing, and saw the Capitol hospital attendants run in the room. They pulled out a needle, and Annie screamed even louder, afraid of these strange people.

"STOP!" she heard a voice scream angrily. Even though there was nothing but utter rage in this voice, it comforted Annie. She would know that voice anywhere.

"Finnick…" she mumbled, finally stopping her thrashing as the unfamiliar hands of the Capitol people left her, and Finnick took her in his arms

"Annie? Annie, I'm here. I'm so sorry. Annie, I'm sorry, please Annie, don't hate me." His voice broke on the last few words, and he buried his face in her neck. She could feel him crying, and she wanted to cry too.

"Finnick, don't cry." He pulled his face out from where he had buried it to look her in her sea green eyes. It seemed wrong for her to comfort him after all she had just been through, but he knew she didn't mind. Annie was always so selfless, even at her worst.

"Finn? I'm really scared." She said, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. One fell down her face, and he quickly wiped it away, wishing it was only that easy to wipe away all her pain and make it disappear forever.

"It's okay, Ann. I'm here. It's over, I promise. You're alright, love." He said, comforting her, but comforting himself at the same time as well.

She shook her head, tears now rapidly spilling down her face. She pulled his arm to indicate she wanted him closer, and he climbed in the small hospital bed with her. It was too small to fit the both of them, but they needed to be close to each other more than anything right now. He held her as she cried into his shirt, soaking it through and through. He mumbled comforting words in her hair, until her sobs quieted down, and her breathing was even. She had cried herself out, and fallen asleep.

Finnick hated the Capitol more than anything right now. He hated the people. He hated Snow. He hated the corruption that made the Capitol what it was. Through his work throughout the years, he had learned all the secrets of the Capitol from murder to adultery to even Snow's deepest secrets of his rise to power. That's when Finnick decided the Capitol's own corruption must bring it down. He would expose them all for what they were – corrupt and evil.

Poor Annie. Poor, innocent, sweet Annie. She was scarred now, and it was all because the Capitol wanted a good show. Sure, the physical scars would go away with time, but the mental ones would never disappear. Now she would have to deal with these scars for the rest of her life, just like Finnick did with his own personal wounds from the Games.

_I wasn't the same after my Games_, Finnick thought, _she won't be either. We've both got scars. Even the worst fade, but they never completely go away._

And Finnick knew he would love Annie with her scars, just as much as he had before she had received them. She was still his Annie. After all, she promised she always would be. And broken by the Capitol or not, Annie was not one to go back on her word.


	18. Chapter 18: Share

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Read and review lovelies!**

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><p><strong>70thHungerGamesVictorD4: Aww! Thank you for your review! :)<strong>

**demigodgirl1000: Thank you! I try to capture them as well as I can :)**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Thank you thank you thank you! That means so much! And, I'll tell her that, thanks! :)**

**Adessa101: Thanks so much! :)**

**Ms. Fantastic: Thanks so much! I really try! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Share<strong>_

Finnick Odair stepped off the train and onto the platform in District Four with a spring in his step. He had managed to get home a day early from the Capitol, and wanted to surprise Annie. On the train ride home, he had planned a whole romantic dinner for just the two of them, and couldn't wait to see her reaction.

He bounded home to his house in the Victor's Village, and quickly got dressed, in dress pants and a dress shirt with a tie. He looked at his reflection, and ruffled his hair up, knowing Annie liked it better that way.

He grabbed he flowers he had bought when the train had stopped in District Two, and knocked on Mags' door, inquiring where Annie was. Mags told him to try for the beach, so Finnick headed to their dock, excited. He raced down the beach, but when he finally saw her silhouette, his excitement faded.

Annie wasn't alone. She was with another guy. And they were hugging. And laughing. And splashing each other in the water.

Finnick was overcome with jealously. How could she do this to him? How long had this been happening? Every time he went to the Capitol? Finnick's vision turned red, and he marched toward the laughing pair.

He dropped the flowers on the sand, and loudly said, "Excuse me!"

Annie turned around, shocked. Her smile widened, and she ran to Finnick, jumping in his arms. "Finnick! You're home! I thought you weren't going to get home until tomorrow!" She said happily, kissing him on the cheek.

Finnick didn't respond to any of this, he only growled, "Who is _this_?"

Annie, shocked, pulled away from Finnick, and gestured toward the other boy saying, "Finnick, this is my friend Mark. Mark, this is my boyfriend Finnick."

Mark held out his hand and said, "Nice to finally meet you! Annie's told me a ton about you."

Finnick ignored his hand and turning to Annie, said, "What's really going on Annie? Friend? Yeah, you looked real friendly when you guys were laughing and hugging."

Shocked at his assumption, Annie stuttered, "No- no- Fin- Finnick- it- it's not what you're thinking!"

Mark seemed to catch on, and shook his head, "No, man, Annie isn't my type, trust me."

And then Finnick punched him in the face.

"Dude! What the hell?" Mark yelled, holding his nose, which was bleeding profusely. Finnick enraged, responded, "What are you implying is wrong with her? She's perfect."

Annie, obviously angry, grabbed Finnick's arm, and turned him to face her. "Mark's gay, Finnick! You're more of his type than I am!"

Ashamed, Finnick turned to face Mark. "Sorry." He muttered.

Mark scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah man, whatever. If anyone should be jealous in your relationship, it's Annie. I mean, you sleep with anything that's female and alive and will let you in its pants."

And then Annie punched him in the face.

"Don't you dare ever speak to either of us again. You don't even know what the hell you're talking about. Go away." Annie said, her voice sharp and cold.

Mark muttered something under his breath, and stormed off, still holding his nose. The couple watched his retreating figure before Annie turned on Finnick.

"Finnick. Honestly. You don't need to be jealous. I've never dated another boy, never kissed another boy, never even thought about another boy besides you. Get that through your thick skull, alright? I want you to trust me."

Finnick looked down at his feet before saying, "I'm sorry Ann. I just don't like the thought of having to share you with anyone."

And then he realized how unfair that was to say to her, because she has to share him all the time, and he couldn't give himself to her completely. "Sorry." He breathed, barely audible.

She pulled his chin up so he would look her in the eyes, and he couldn't help but grin at her soft smile. "Hey, don't apologize for something that isn't your fault."

He leaned down to kiss her, and realizing how much he had missed her while he was gone, deepened the kiss. She was surprised at first, but responded eagerly, kissing him back with as much force. He picked her up and spun her around, not yet ready to break the kiss. She pulled back breathless, and he frowned.

"What?" She said, eyebrows knit together in concern.

"You pulled away." He said, mock pouting.

"Sorry, I need to breathe at some point."

"Use those legendary swimmer lungs, Cresta."

And he dipped her down, kissing her again. He was the one to pull away this time, and she smirked at him. He looked at her with a strange expression, and again, she asked, "What?"

"That was really hot when you punched him in the face."

Annie laughed at this, and said slyly, "I know."

Then she ran down the beach, and Finnick, as happy as he thought he could ever be, chased after her.


	19. Chapter 19: Clue

**A/N: Okay, yes, I realize this chapter is way shorter than the others! But they're drabbles, so no getting mad at me! This one is actually pretty cute I think, so enjoy! Keep up the reviewing, it makes my day brighter! Thanks!**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Thank you! Haha, I love writing their personalities, it's so fun! :)**

**vampigirls2: Thank you! I will def stick with this story until the end! :)**

**Ms. Fantastic: Haha, thank you, so are you :)**

**Demigodgirl: Thank you, it was one of my favorites to write, that's for sure :)**

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><p><em><strong>Clue<strong>_

Eleven year old Annie Cresta and thirteen year old Finnick Odair sat on their favorite dock, kicking water at each other and giggling hysterically. Annie laid back on the dock, letting the hot rays of the sun radiate heat onto her. Finnick followed suit, putting his arms behind his head.

"Annie?" He said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"Mmm?" She replied, eyes closed, daydreaming.

"How do I talk to girls?" Finnick said, instantly wishing he could grab the words and shove them in his mouth and back down his throat.

Annie's eyes snapped open quickly, and she shot up, looking at Finnick as if he were a giant squid. "What?"

"Well… er… I wanted to know how I could talk to girls… you know… to impress them… make them like me…"

Annie gaped at him for a few moments before roaring with laughter, holding her side as she tried to breathe through all of her giggling.

Frustrated, Finnick scrambled to his feet, muttering, "Oh, just forget it!"

Realizing she had upset him, Annie grabbed Finnick's hand, while simultaneously wiping a tear that had resulted from all of her laughter. "No, Finn! I'll help you!"

Reluctantly, Finnick sat back down, still frowning. "So how do I talk to girls?"

"Well," Annie started, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "like this. You're doing it right now!"

"But you're not a girl! You're Annie!" Finnick protested.

And the next thing he knew, Annie had shoved him off the dock and into the water. He emerged from underwater, coughing, and looked up at Annie, who was standing above him, her hands on her hips.

"What was that for?" He yelled angrily.

"Oh please, Finnick. Get a clue. Never say that a girl isn't a girl. That's common sense, stupid!" And with that, she stormed off angrily, leaving Finnick in the water.

Finnick stared at her figure making its way home down the beach, wishing she knew that she was the girl he so desperately wanted to know how to impress.


	20. Chapter 20: Duty

**A/N: I KNOW I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER, IM SORRY /3 LIFE HAS BEEN CRAZY, AND CHEMISTRY WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME. BUT I GOT A 92% ON MY TEST, SO HECK YEAH! HONESTLY, IHATEYOUHONORSCHEMISTRY. ANYWHOOOO, THIS CHAPTER SUCKS. I KNOW, AND I'M SOWWWYYYY. I'LL UPDATE FASTER THOUGH, PROMISE. THIS ONE IS WEIRD AND DIFFERENT FROM THE REST, BUT IDK. IT JUST HAPPENED. DON'T HATE, PLEASE. HAHA READ AND REVIEW MY LOVELY PEOPLES((:**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Haha, thank you! I loved writing that one :)**

**BarbedWire: Thank you so much! Your review made my day, week, life. It means so much to me! (Go dorks!)**

**vampgirls2: Hahah thank you! Oh lord, when I finish this, there will be 100 chapters! That's so weird! Excting though(;**

**demigodgirl1000: Hahaha, oh thank you! That one might be my favorite too :)**

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><p><em><strong>Duty<strong>_

It was always up to Finnick to protect Annie.

When they were kids, he always protected her from the harsh realities of the Games by holding her and covering her eyes from the gore and tragedy.

When he went into the Games, he protected her from heartbreak by keeping his promise to come home, and staying true to his word that he was hers.

When Snow threatened to kill her, he quickly did the awful deeds Snow asked, doing the unspeakable to save the only girl he had ever loved.

When she went into the Games, he charmed the crowds into being her sponsors, and barely slept, afraid the unbearable might happen if he closed his eyes.

When it was announced they would go back into the Games, he begged with all the other female victors to take her place, it was inevitable she would be picked. Unfortunately, the old woman who took on this responsibility was the only other person he cared for.

When he went back into the Games, he made the other victors promise they would take care of her and protect her in his absence. When they failed him, and she was taken away to the Capitol, he wept.

Finnick understood he could never fully protect Annie.


	21. Chapter 21: Separator

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another short chapter! Read, review, & enjoy while I go study logarithms! ;P**

**Adessa101: Thank you, thank you! And thanks, two more weeks, and I will be chemistry free! More time for this story! Wooo!**

**demigodgirl1000: Thank you! I considered adding his death, but I couldn't bear it, so I just left it like that! Woulda been too depressing. and Thank you! It's a ridiculously tough class, and I will rejoice when it's over! hahaha**

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><p><strong><em>Separator<em>**

On Annie's ninth birthday, Finnick forgot to give her a present. Outraged, she decided to give him the cold shoulder.

The day after said birthday, Finnick went to meet Annie at their normal spot on the beach. When he arrived, he noticed a large line drawn on the sand. Annie sat directly to the right of this line, staring out at the angry waves.

Confused, Finnick walked toward her. As he was about to step over the line, he heard Annie call out.

"What do you think you're doing?"

She stood up with her hands on her hips, looking much older than nine. Finnick shrugged, unsure of what she meant.

"I'm coming to sit down next to you." Finnick said, moving to step down on the line again, until he was stopped by Annie once more.

"No, you don't. You sit on that side. This is my side of the beach!"

"What? Why can't we sit on the same side together?" Finnick whined, eyebrows furrowing together.

"Because… you forgot my birthday. So you sit over there." Annie said, pouting in a most childlike manner.

"What? You told me not to get you anything!" Finnick said, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

"I didn't mean it!"

"Why didn't you tell me that then?"

"Because."

And so, Finnick learned his first lesson about girls: they don't always mean what they say.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know, Annie!"

Annie huffed, and sat back down on her side of the beach, looking back at the storm that was approaching.

Frustrated, Finnick stomped away.

A little while later, he returned, a small gift in hand. He coughed to get Annie's attention, before placing it on the crooked line Annie had drawn in the sand.

Annie looked down to find a beautifully intricate woven bracelet, with small shells used as embellishments. She gasped, and picked it up, to examine it closer. Before he knew what had hit him, Finnick felt small arms wrap around his neck as Annie hugged him in thanks for the homemade gift.

While returning the hug, Finnick discreetly used his foot to erase the line; the separator.


	22. Chapter 22: Zero

**A/N: Oh dear Finnick, this one is actually the length of a drabble. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but my chapters went from sooo short to long. I don't know. It just happened. Like this chapter. I didn't plan it, it just kinda... I don't know. Happened. Oh Merlin, I love ABC Family HP marathons. Sorry, HBP is on.**

**I love all of my reviewers. You make coming home from my boring non-cliché high school so worth it with all of your amazing reviews. I love you guys. I'd like to give a shoutout to the lovely **_vampigirls2_ **for giving me a shoutout on her story** _Lucky_! **It seriously made my day! So, go check it out. It's Annie and Finnick and Jason Mraz and goodness. Alright, that's the end of my ramble for today. Until next time, read&review(:**

**CrashAgainstMySkin: Ugh, finals! Good luck! Glad you enjoyed it :)**

**demigodgirl1000: Thank you! Hope you like this one too :)**

**vampigirls2: Arghh, chem and finals and trig are killing me. Finals are next week, then SUMMERRRR! Which means more updates(: Thanks for the review and shoutout, btw! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Zero<strong>_

A year after her Games, Annie and Finnick came up with a quick way for her to tell him how she was feeling. By saying a number from one to ten, with ten being the worst, and one being the best, Annie could tell Finnick how frightened or lost she felt with one simple word.

With time, the tens became nines, the nines became eights, the eights turned to seven, and followed in this pattern…

The night that Annie and Finnick were reunited in Thirteen, they lay in bed, lying on their sides, just looking at each other, hungrily searching each other's faces as if they couldn't get enough. They stayed in silence like this for a while before Finnick gently took her hand and said, "What are you at right now, Ann?"

Annie's mouth slowly formed a smile, and she squeezed his hand before saying, "Zero. I'm at zero. I don't think I've ever been happier than right now."

Finnick smiled and kissed her forehead before a tear escaped his eye.

His Annie hadn't been at zero in over five years.


End file.
